Atalanta, Unchained
by Nimbiose
Summary: AU. Three-shot. Klaud Nine was fairly sure that the mess that her life had become was all the fault of a little sadistic girl with blue hair and the pact she made. The two tangled ends of a dark comedy are about to finally meet, and it won't be pretty.


**Atalanta, Unchained**

 **Disclaimer.** DGM is not mine. **  
Warnings.** Language **  
A/N.** purely the product of finally reading that new chapter omgggg DGM my muse has missed you. Also, want to see Rhode disrupt Neah's plans, and poor Klaud having to deal with it. funfun.

* * *

 **Part 1: The Pact**

 _in which Klaud Nine is young, gains her Innocence, makes the mistake of trusting sadistic little girls, and begins to drink more than ever before, to the consternation of the Order as a whole, but she gives no shits because her already messed up life has become even more complicated thanks to aforementioned sadistic little girl_

 **-o-**

Klaud Nine became an accommodator for Innocence at the age of thirteen, when Akuma attacked her circus troupe in the midst of a performance. Or, more accurately, the monkey that had taken to her just weeks previous had suddenly defended her from the strange creatures by becoming quite large. He settled over her prone figure, and snarled at the encroaching killing machines.

Klaud, who had run away from the orphanage at the tender age of ten before joining the circus, had always believed in abilities of animals to understand her. And so, with no hesitation, Klaud cracked the whip she had been practicing with just minutes before, and the monkey once more joined the fray.

By the time it was over, Klaud was the only human in the vicinity who was alive.

 **-o-**

(Her adrenaline finally plummeted and, with shaking legs, she eventually sank on the ground, which was painted red with streaks of blood, and had a good long cry. The monkey, once more small and cute approached her. She stared at it warily for a minute, unsure for the first time in her life of how to communicate with an animal, before making eye-contact. As soon as she did, the words _Lau Ji Min_ implanted themselves in her brain, and she knew this was right. She grabbed the monkey and cuddled with it as she cried, while it made concerned, cooing sounds.)

 **-o-**

(The lone wolf within Klaud bared its teeth properly for the first time.)

 **-o-**

In the years that followed, Klaud joined and left several circus troupes. Her abilities as a beast master were unmatched, and not only with her own monkey. Every animal she encountered was more than willing to listen to her, and she returned the favor by being more than willing to listen back, ensuring the poor beasts some degree of comfort in their otherwise doomed lives, as circus animals never lived very long.

She still was not fully aware of what she was, but she knew better than to go around revealing it, as she had put together quite accurately that the machine monsters her monkey destroyed could hide as humans. Klaud had always preferred the company of animals to that of humans, and now it was entirely justified. She kept her interactions with the rest of the troupes to a minimum, only being around to receive her wages, and food, before heading over to the animal cages were she spent most of her time.

She didn't last anywhere more than a couple of months, the sense of restlessness she'd always possessed as a young girl having increased tenfold given her new situation in life.

 **-o-**

(A lone wolf always remained a lone wolf, and had no need for pack.)

 **-o-**

It was around the time she was twenty, having stuck by a troupe for longer than usual, that she first met Her, one summer long ago.

The girl looked like every other curious kid at the circus, entranced by the acts and oddities that surrounded her. Klaud would not have paid her any attention had it not been for the fact that she was standing outside the lion's cage.

"Careful, they bite," the elder said. The little girl turned to her briefly, before gazing back at the lions. A curious little pup.

"They're boring," she pronounced. Klaud resisted the urge to role her eyes. They were overworked animals who were enjoying a bit of rest and were therefore not willing to put on a show for a spoiled child.

"I wouldn't say that so close to them, they might get angry," Klaud warned. The little girl sniffed, turning to her, clearly unimpressed.

"They're stupid, they wouldn't know,"

"Are you so sure about that?"

The little girl opened her mouth with a no doubt scathing retort in mind, when a loud roar intercepted. Jumping back and falling on her butt, she looked at the cage only to see the lion's teeth where her left hand had been. Klaud resisted the urge to snort, but a smirk painted her lips regardless. Then she turned to the mighty beast, and crouched down to eye-level. Ignoring the lion's seething, Klaud murmured a few words of comfort, before offering her hand.

The little girl gasped when the lion's mouth neared the woman's hand, but it only sniffed it before licking it. Klaud briefly pet the beast, before it decided it had enough and turned around, with one last glare at the flabbergasted girl, who was still sitting in a very unladylike manner on the ground. Klaud sighed, and turned to look at the troublemaker.

"It understands you!" the little girl exclaimed, awe in her eyes.

"He also understands you, and doesn't seem to like what you said, little miss," Klaud retored as she helped her up.

"I'm not that little," the girl bristled, "But what you did was amazing! Can you teach me?"

"Ah, but it's not something that can be taught, little miss," Klaud smiled, "now run along, I'm sure your parents are worried about you,"

Like any other young child attempting to strive for independence, the girl grimaced at the mention of her parents, before curtsying quickly ( _how cute_ , Klaud thought with a grin) and running off. Just before turning the corner, however, she stopped and shouted,

"I'll be back tomorrow Lion Lady!"

Klaud chortled and waved, amused at her little fan, before turning back to her job. She still had to feed the elephants.

"Ah, Lau Ji Min, there you are, now where did you run off to before? I hope if you got up to any mischief, it was purely at the expense of our dolt of a ringmaster,"

The little monkey chittered in mirth in response.

 **-o-**

"What's his name?"

True to her word, the little girl had returned the next day, and the day after, and the day after. It was close to a five-day streak, and Klaud was beginning to wonder what fanciful lies the little troublemaker was telling her family in order to come by everyday. It was not ladylike behavior, after all, and the child seemed to be from a very well-off family, judging by her speech and dress.

"His name is Noah," Klaud replied patiently. She was currently throwing meat at the lion's cage and the little girl was as fascinated as ever by the creature that had nearly taken her hand.

"That's a pretty name," the little girl declared.

"Now little miss, you shouldn't avoid the subject, don't you have work to do?" Klaud turned and asked, eyebrows raised.

The little girl stuck her tongue out in response. Every other day, she would bring her homework with her, stating that she couldn't concentrate on it at home because of her siblings. As far as Klaud could see, however, she didn't concentrate much in the circus either.

"My work is stupid, I'd much rather do what you're doing,"

"Now little miss, I'm sure that's not true,"

"It so is! I'd much rather learn how to talk to animals like you do than any of this French stuff,"

"I'd love to learn to speak French," Klaud said absentmindedly, purely keeping the conversation going as she had become used to over the past few days.

It was very strange, to have someone to talk to who could talk back constantly around, instead of the comforting silence of the animals. Klaud didn't mind as much as she thought she would have.

"Where are you from, miss Klaud?"

"Somewhere in Russia, I think,"

"That's so far away! How'd you get all the way to England?"

"Travelling as part of the circus, little miss, I thought that was obvious,"

"I'd love to go travelling like you!"

"I'm sure you wouldn't, little miss, a lot of uncomfortable sleeping accomodations I'm afraid,"

"Still!" Klaud turned and laughed boisterously. Her little shadow had puffed her cheeks and was pouting so cutely.

 **-o-**

"You've never asked for my name, miss Klaud,"

"No, I haven't," it was now two weeks since her little shadow had been following her. The animals had gotten used to her and so had Klaud. Lau Ji Min was, as always, conspicuously absent during their meetings, mostly because they occurred during the time the pet monkey was most fond of getting up to mischief.

"Why not?"

"Names are merely a part of who we are as people, but I think it is much more telling to get to know someone's personality first,"

The little girl hummed.

"You're so smart, miss Klaud,"

"You'll be smarter soon, little miss,"

 **-o-**

(From small bits and pieces of conversation, Klaud gathered that the situation at home was not very good for her little shadow. Apparently there were growing amounts of in fighting between her siblings. This was why she was so often at the circus, with the female beast tamer.)

 **-o-**

"Miss Klaud! Miss Klaud!"

Klaud dashed over to the cries. She had just gone to check on the elephants and left the little girl with the lions, thinking it would be alright, but clearly this was not the case. Worried about the possible repercussions of having an accident, Klaud finally made it to the lions cage, catching her breath before smiling at the sight before her.

"Miss Klaud look! Noah finally likes me!" the lion had finally been coerced into letting the little girl pet him, and they both looked positively delighted. With a snort, Klaud threw her head back and laughed like she hadn't in years.

 **-o-**

"I'm leaving soon, little miss,"

"Boo! Miss Klaud, do you have to?"

"I'm afraid so, I've overstayed my welcome at this circus, it's time to find another, and I've got a definite case of restless feet syndrome,"

"Restless what? Is that a disease? Will you be alright?"

Chuckles.

"Miss Klaud, stop making fun of me! I'll tell Noah you're being mean!"

"Of course you will, little miss,"

 **-o-**

The day Klaud finally packed up everything and was getting ready to leave, was the first day Lau Ji Min met her little shadow. Unlike Klaud, who had gotten quite used to and surprisingly fond of the girl, her monkey was not nearly as impressed. And he made this very clear.

"Lau Ji Min! Will you stop? What has gotten into you?" Klaud held him by the scruff of his neck, as the monkey continued to chitter angrily in the little girl's direction.

"That's quite alright, miss Klaud, he is a better judge of character than you, is all," the little girl replied. Klaud blinked in confusion, as it seemed her little shadows eyes turned an unnatural gold for just a second, before Lau Ji Min's restlessness commanded her attention once more.

"I just wanted to say goodbye, miss Klaud, and thank you for the past few days,"

"No problem, little miss," Klaud nodded. The little girl turned to leave but paused at the edge of the tent and rushed in for a hug. Klaud's eyes, usually quite cool and distant when in the presence of anyone but her animals, softened and she placed a hand on the little girl's head. Lau Ji Min's cries grew even louder, to Klaus' ire.

"For when we next meet, remember my name is Rhode," and just like that, the little girl was off.

 **-o-**

Klaud doubted she'd ever see her again.

(She was very, very wrong.)

 **-o-**

The Black Order eventually caught up to Klaud in Poland. Despite her misgivings of joining the religious group (of joining any pack at all, really, as she was first and foremost a lone wolf), it was made very clear to her that she had no say in the matter, and so, in the interest of self-preservation, she decided to bow her head and to go along with their plans.

(The Black Order put a collar on a wild beast, if only for a bit.)

Thus she was thrown into a carriage together with a redhead with groping hands and a serious drinking problem. Seeing as this was her life now, Klaud decked the redhead and stole his liquor.

(She finished to bottles by herself on the ride to Headquarters, all while continuously decking her fellow Exorcist whenever he woke up, because that is apparently what they were, and _good God she needed a drink to think that one through_.)

 **-o-**

(Cross Marian still has nightmares of that particular ordeal.)

 **-o-**

It happened in Hungary when she was twenty-one. An entire village had essentially been converted into Akuma for reasons unknown, and was terrifying the neighboring towns. She along with another Exorcist and a group of Finders had been sent to attempt and figure out what the situation was.

Typically, as with most of the cases with the Black Order's intel, no one knew that the _entire town_ was made up of Akuma. While to Klaud they may be no more threatening than a group of zebra's to a lion, in large groups they could be deadly.

(Klaud hated Black Order intel, and still had a degree of resentment over the entire institution, even now that she knew and understood their purpose.)

And thus she found herself without Finders, without a partner and without backup facing down an entire hoard of Akuma with only Lau Ji Min and her trusty whip for company. And she could feel her energy falling.

It was in this most dire of circumstances that she noticed a stray dog about to be crushed by an Akuma and, without thinking, went to shield it. As she did so, Lau Ji Min shrieked in concern. She smiled. _What a fool, risking my life for an animal, as always_ , she thought.

 **-o-**

(Klaud's Innocence had always been peculiar though, and it was her concern over the animal that allowed her to hit the Critical Point. The entire village was wiped out. And the animal kingdom was restored to its usual status.)

 **-o-**

In the light of dawn, Klaud's senses slowly returned. She could hear Lau Ji Min's puffs of breath close by her ear, indicating he was asleep. She could feel the licks of a rough tongue, and she opened her eyes, she realized it was the dog she had saved. A slight twinge of pain on her face alerted her to the fact that something was wrong, but when she raised her hand to it she couldn't feel anything. _No nerves?_ She wondered.

Slowly getting up, and groaning as she did so due to protesting muslces, she took in her surroundings. Where the village used to be, there was now an empty space. The foundations of houses were all that was left.

"Miss Klaud, of course it would be you," the voice came from behind her. Klaud turned around quickly, dislodging Lau Ji Min and stratling the dog, who began to bark at the intruder.

"Easy now, miss Klaud," and the voice, the voice was so familiar, even though it had been many years since that summer.

"Rhode?" Klaud croaked.

"You took quite a beating didn't you, miss Klaud?" Klaud's vision finally re-focused, and she took in the person before her.

"Wha-"

"What am I? I am a Noah, miss Klaud, a member of the clan of Noah reincarnated ever so often to help the Millenium Earl fight Innocence, and Exorcists, like yourself,"

The little girl standing before her was obviously Rhode, but there were some distinct differences from the little shadow Klaud remembered. Her hair was pitch black instead of blue, her eyes an unnatural gold, her skin grey and, perhaps most strikingly, there was a line of black crosses on her forehead. It was only once her inspection finished that she fully understood what the little girl said and she moved back slightly, hovering over Lau Ji Min protectively, despite the little imps protests.

"Or at least, that is what I _should_ be doing…you see miss Klaud, the problems with my family are very bad now, and although I look so young, I am in fact in possession of a very long memory, and so I would like it if you would hear my story,"

What.

"What?"

"You're so slow! Is this what happens to all Exorcists when they fully synchronize with their Innocence?" the little girls cheeks puffed and she pouted and it was only then that Klaud was able to fully recognize her young friend.

Cautiously, the Exorcist stood up.

"If I hear your story, will you let me leave?" Klaud wasn't sure what it was, but earlier, she had felt something dark and unnatural emanating from Rhode, and knew that given her current situation, she would not be able to survive. Someone as attuned with the animal kingdom as her always knew when to recognize an imminent threat.

The little demon before her cocked her head, then nodded, before flicking her wirst. Suddenly, Klaud found herself sitting on a chair, the dog and Lau Ji Min with her, facing a table with a tea set in a checkered room. Before her, Rhode was pouring herself a cup of tea.

"How many sugars would you like, miss Klaud?"

 **-o-**

(The little pup had never been a little pup, but instead a particular type of predator, one which disguised itself as harmless before striking its prey. The little pup was a snake.)

 **-o-**

Klaud sat and listened to Rhode's tale for hours, although the girl assured her that no more than a few minutes would actually pass by in the real world. And that in itself was it's own rude awakening to the difference in power between the Black Order and the Earl's forces. But she sat, and listened to a story of family, love, betrayal and fratricide, of which the only survivor was Rhode herself.

"And so, I would like to propose an arrangement, miss Klaud,"

"What type of arrangement?"

"I would like for you to kill me,"

What.

"What?"

"Us Noahs reincarnate constantly, and given the way this particular generation has perished, we will probably be revived soon, thus you killing me will only result in my reincarnation,"

"Yes, I understood that much, but why?"

"I have managed to figure out how to retain the memories of my current persona at the forefront of my mind, the details of which are too complicated to discuss at this junction, thus a reincarnation would allow me a certain amount of leeway to conduct certain investigations without anyone the wiser,"

"And what investigations might those be, miss Rhode?"

"The current whereabouts of the Fourteenth and truth about Mana, amongst others," the little girl waved her hand dismissively, "But to do this, I need you,"

"What could I possibly do for you, besides kill you?" Klaud asked, eyebrows raised.

"I am quite certain that this will all come to a head in the near future, and that it will be related, to a degree, to the Black Order, from which you, as a general, will now gain new freedoms, amongst them teaching the younger generations,"

"So?"

"I am suggesting you look for my reincarnated self and take me in, as you will no doubt play some part in the events to come,"

"The chances of finding you are very small, you realize,"

"They won't be, if you're half the woman I think you are,"

Klaud glared at the insolent, clearly not so little girl before her, who sharply grinned back.

"Besides, miss Klaud, I know for a fact you are not to fond of the Order's methods, think of this as a scheme to both end the war and mess up everyone's plans," Rhode's grin widened, "you are, after all, a lone wolf at heart,"

"And how do I know you want to end the war?"

"Trust me, miss Klaud, I am no longer interested in wars that result in family murderers and deceit I have experienced in this life,"

 **-o-**

(Against her better judgment, Klaud took the deal. It was the look in Rhode's eyes as she stated her intentions to no longer outright interfere with the war that ended up convincing her.

It was also the fact that with such a predator before her, Klaud could recognize when she herself had turned into prey, as she hadn't been for many, many years.)

 **-o-**

When Klaud Nine returned to Headquarters, Hevlaska declared her synchro rate to be at the level of a general. She was promptly assigned three student – Gwen Frere, Tina Spark, Sol Galen – and sent on her merry way.

No one in the Order realized that Klaud Nine was not exactly the same person she had been before she left on the mission to Hungary.

 **-o-**

(When your eyes are opened to the absolute clusterfuck that is the reality of the situation and the power of the players involved, your approach to life is very different. In Klaud Nine's case, she decided she no longer gave a shit about the Order, took up binge drinking as a hobby and somewhere in the middle managed to train the three incompetent stooges that were her students into passable Exorcists who all sang her praises.)

 **-o-**

She sent occasional reports to Headquarters so they wouldn't look too closely at her side dealings, which mostly consisted of her trying to find a certain devil child whom she was often fond of cursing to hell and back in her drunkest moments. Anytime something went wrong in her life, she blamed on Rhode. Who Rhode was, her students never found out, but they eventually took up the habit as well.

 **-o-**

(The Black Order's attempt to domesticate the beast failed, as she was once more running wild.)

 **-o-**

For those wondering, the reason why Klaud's students liked her so much was due to her lack of fucks given. For a woman to achieve such a level in life is rare, as women are always taught to look at themselves and others and asses for imperfections. Klaud herself, despite being distant from people and closer to animals prior to her deal, had cared enough to be a model Exorcist within the Order as it ensured her gaining favor with the leaders of the pack – in this case, Central.

Her conversation and subsequent deal with the little Noah, had, however, opened her eyes and reminded her of who she was at her chore, that is, a lone wolf. There was no need for her to gain favor with the pack, as she had no interest in being a part of it. Hence, she stopped giving a fuck and instead grudgingly trained the pups she was given, all whilst trying to achieve her goals.

Klaud's habits, as her mission objectives seemed to stray further and further away, grew to include drinking in order to deal with the constant headache that finding Rhode was turning out to be, which coupled with the three stooges of students she had, was exasperating. And so, she took up drinking. And sleeping around. Her only conditions were that her partner be capable of stringing intelligent sentences together.

To her students, who had up until fairly recently been treated as either porcelain dolls or mere accommodators, her outlook on life was so refreshing that they could not help but be in awe.

And so, unknowingly, Klaud raised three little hellions.

 **-o-**

(Occasionally, someone would compare her to Cross. Occasionally, a certain monkey might drop someone from the top of the tower. Eventually, they learned their lesson and stopped the comparisons.)

 **-o-**

By the time Klaud was thirty-three, her little hellions were doing their own damage no longer under her supervision, Central hated her almost as much as they hated Cross, and everyone had a certain degree of fear in her presence.

By the time Klaud was thirty-three, she had grown weary with the world and cynical, and gave even less fucks than ever before.

By the time Klaud was thirty-three, Rhode Kamelot had been impatiently waiting for the woman to appear for eleven years. When she finally found her, she dashed from her caretaker's presence in the busiest street in Budapest, and hugged the woman's waist.

When Klaud looked down, it was to a mischievous, golden gaze she was unfortunately familiar with.

"Found you, miss Klaud!"

 _Here we go again_.

 **-o-**

(The lone wolf howled. It was hunting season.)

* * *

comments appreciated. hopefully will finish in the next week or so. also looking forward to next chapter when Klaud will really be lacking fucks to give about life the order everything in general while adopting more children yay mama Klaud.


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